HutchCC volleyball has been road trippin’ and winnin’

By Kaleb Moore
Staff Writer
ig: @kalebmoore05

Long travels are always a hassle, especially when traveling with a large group of people. It can prove even more unbearable if you travel a long distance to a place and then after a day, you have to turn around and leave. The Hutchinson Community College volleyball team is currently enduring this situation.

Since their season began on Aug. 23, the Blue Dragons have not played a single home match, with their schedule sending them not only to distant places in Kansas such as Liberal or Garden City, but also Council Bluffs, Iowa and Odessa, Texas.

Despite the long journeys, the Blue Dragons have played to the tune of an 8-6 record, with the last two wins against Vernon College and Panola College coming in straight sets. Fans wouldn’t be able to realize how long these players have to travel by watching the games, but if one looks up the schedule, people can see just how far these players must go.

If added together, the amount of time each bus ride would take, if there were no stops, would be a little over 2,900 minutes, or 48 hours and 30 minutes. One might see that number and see only two days of travel, but the distance will make those people think twice about how far that really is.

The total distance the Blue Dragons have traveled is 3,185 miles, accounting for trips both to and from each event. To put that into perspective, a local Hutchinson resident could pack up and drive to West Palm Beach in Florida, take in a whiff of refreshing ocean air, turn around and then go right back home for the same time and only 100 miles more than how far the volleyball team has traveled.

Shelbi Wilson, a sophomore setter, knows the difficulties in playing well after that long of a ride. “It definitely affects warmups,” Wilson said. “You can be a little groggy, and that can make getting warm hard.”

To get herself psyched up for a match, Wilson tells herself her goals for the game and gives herself small pep talks.

Staying busy during these rides is another issue these players deal with. To pass time while awaiting matches, Wilson says she does homework, plays games with her teammates, and watches TV shows. Other options could include having a meal or taking a nap.

The long road trips seem to be on pause for the time being. Through the end of the month, the Blue Dragons play seven of their eight matches at home, and their lone trip takes them to Pratt. People can catch them Sept. 18 against Cloud County, and they look to avenge an earlier loss against Iowa Western two days later.

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